Neath Port Talbot Council has voiced their response to the proposed boundary changes for Senedd constituencies by 2026. During a council cabinet meeting, members reviewed the plans which suggest merging the parliamentary constituencies of Neath and Swansea East with Brecon, Radnor, and Cwm Tawe, as well as combining Aberafan with Maesteg, Rhondda, and Ogmore in future Senedd elections.
The Boundary Commission for Wales recently unveiled its initial proposal to create 16 new constituencies ahead of the 2026 elections, following a bill receiving royal assent on June 24, 2024. Officers at the meeting explained that a cross-party group of councillors from Neath Port Talbot had collaborated to provide feedback to the commission regarding the changes, which they deemed “inconvenient” for the electorate.
One of the suggestions impacting the Neath Port Talbot area involves merging Neath and Swansea East with Brecon, Radnor, and Cwm Tawe. Council members expressed concerns about this change, stating that it would form a “super constituency” covering a vast area with diverse demographics and lacking community ties. They argued that a more natural combination would be to link Neath and Swansea East with the Aberafan Maesteg ward.
Furthermore, the proposal to combine Aberafan Maesteg with Rhondda and Ogmore was also met with opposition from members who highlighted the lack of community connection between Aberafan and Rhondda, citing inadequate road links. The council’s response emphasized the need for boundary changes to be desirable, effective, and convenient for local communities to avoid creating complexity and administrative errors during elections.
Members also expressed concerns about the challenges newly elected representatives may face in advocating for constituents across multiple principal councils, health boards, police forces, and rescue services. The Boundary Commission for Wales will assess feedback from local councils to potentially amend or improve the initial proposals by April 1, 2025.
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